Nobody's the Wiser
by satan-chillin
Summary: Harry and Cisco accidentally travel to an unknown earth and encountered their respective doppelgangers with a rather interesting relationship. It isn't going to affect their own, right?


unbeta-ed

* * *

"Whoops."

Cisco's mouth tended to run first than his mind sometimes. This was one of the very few occasions that it did.

" _Whoops_? What do you mean _whoops_?"

Well, speaking out of turn at the moment wasn't exactly the best of ideas, especially if you have a very frustrated Harry with you who was supposed to be at Earth-2 right this very second for Jesse's birthday.

Instead, Cisco had brought them to a different Earth where they were seemingly in S.T.A.R. Labs except the walls actually have meta dampeners imbued to them. Usually, Cisco would be amazed at this concept; he could adapt the idea with their local S.T.A.R. Labs since Earth-1 villains have the habit of strolling in unannounced at S.T.A.R. Labs with more ways than one to bypass the security he and Caitlin placed on the headquarters. At the present, there was no time to be fascinated since it meant that his powers weren't working as it should be to keep a very infuriated Harry from going off like a bomb.

It was also a very good timing to ran out of interdimensional extrapolator.

The loud intruder alert wasn't helping with Cisco's panic either.

"Okay, listen, Harry. My powers here are not working, so when the security comes barging in, we have to communicate with them as peacefully as possible. We're still in S.T.A.R. Labs, just a different version of ours. It's possible that we see familiar faces, and we can ask for help to get back," Cisco reasoned, ever the optimistic, to a seething Harry who was pacing back and forth the given space the force field allowed them.

"We won't be needing help if you know how to properly transport us to Earth-2," Harry said bluntly.

Alright, Cisco didn't have an answer to that one. It wasn't like he never did it before, but since his previous encounter to a meta whose abilities resonated badly against Cisco, he was having difficulty vibing. God, he should have listened to Caitlin when she warned him to make sure his powers weren't acting up.

Fine, this was on him.

"Right. Sorry," Cisco mumbled against the loud siren. The apology was pretty much lost on Harry.

Cisco sensed another incoming rant from his companion when the doors burst open and five armed men came in carrying what looked like DLT-19 heavy blaster rifles. Cisco made sure to raise his hands higher in surrender.

One of the security that came in spoke to his earpiece about the intruders detained. Cisco warily eyed Harry and his somewhat bored expression. Oh, dear. Cisco hoped these men wouldn't take it badly.

It wasn't long when the men parted their formation, though their arms remained trained on Harry and Cisco, to make way for a man in sharp business suit and of Cisco's height, hair tied back, and sporting glasses.

He looked very identical to Cisco—an expensive-looking Cisco.

His doppelganger didn't notice him though, his attention focused on Harry alone, and very, very furious.

"You again!" Cisco's doppelganger snarled. "Tell me why I shouldn't have them shoot you on the spot!"

Harry, whose sour mood wasn't helping their case here, had the gall to raise an eyebrow in retaliation. "Because this is my first time in this place, and I don't know on what earth I am."

"Nice try, old man. Last time we caught you infiltrating here, you gave the lamest excuse of testing your laboratory's cheap grade teleportation machine. So what machine are you testing now, something that gives you amnesia?"

Harry scoffed. "I'll have you know that my _teleportation_ _machine_ isn't cheap grade. And it's called Transporter—"

"Harry!" Cisco hissed. "He's not offending _you_ , he's talking about the _you_ of this Earth!" Trust Harry's ego to be bruised at the very wrong time.

Cisco's doppelganger's attention turned to him then. When their eyes met, the other man took a step back, eyes wide. "Who are you, and why do you look like me?" he asked, suspiciously eyeing Cisco from head to toe.

There was no easy way to say this. "Okay, first off. Me and my companion accidentally travelled here. I'm Cisco Ramon and this is Harrison Wells. If you're wondering why I share the same name as you, it's because I am you too, just from another earth."

"Do you honestly believe I'll fall for that? You're a meta because the safeguards I put in this place won't activate unless there's a metahuman in the vicinity. Now, I don't know what or how much Wells here promised you so you can pose as me, but tough shit, the gig is up." He pointed an accusing finger at Harry's direction. "And you, prepare to have mountains of lawsuits piled against your ass." He gestured to his men to cuff Cisco and Harry.

"Wait!" Cisco called out. He wasn't going to let himself be imprisoned on some unknown Earth. "I'm not an impostor. You have to believe me! We're stuck here in this Earth. You're right, I'm a meta, but my ability is not what you think it is. I can open interdimensional rips that's why we're here in the first place. If you let us out of this meta dampener field, I can open another portal and be out of your hair."

"Nice try, impostor. Look, I don't know what this man here told you, but I'm not an idiot who—"

"Okay, Ramon, hear us out for a moment, will you?" Harry suddenly spoke as calmly as he could muster. "You think I am this earth's Harrison Wells, then by all means, contact him and have him come down here so you'll witness for yourself two of us existing at the same time. Then, maybe, you can draw your own conclusion from that."

The other Cisco Ramon paused and considered Harry for a moment, gauging him if he was lying. He pulled out a remote control and pointed to a nearby monitor where a live talk show was being displayed currently.

And would you look at that, it was Harrison Wells who was the day's guest.

Ramon (as Cisco called his doppelganger of this Earth) stared hard at the screen with such pure loathing, if Cisco was to hazard a guess what that expression of his other self meant. He looked back and forth between the monitor and Harry before turning the screen off when the on-screen Harrison Wells began laughing good-naturedly with the female host.

Nice to know this Earth's Harrison Wells wasn't as emotionally constipated as Harry. That or he knew how to act appealingly.

Ramon pulled out his smartphone from his breast pocket and begrudgingly tapped on the screen a few times before the field let up. Ramon then ordered his men to stand down.

"Not that I'm complaining, but it's that easy?"

"Tell me," Ramon suddenly said sharply without looking at Cisco. "What was Dante's favorite piece?"

The past tense didn't complete escape Cisco, and while he doubted that his late brother shared the same interest as the Dante Ramon of his Earth, he was quite confident when he replied, "Tchaikovsky's Dance of the Sugar-Plum Fairy."

Ramon snorted with fondness coloring his face this time. "He used to complain it sounds so girly."

"Yeah, but he never refused me whenever I asked him before to play it since I heard it from Barbie and The Nutcracker."

A chuckle escaped Ramon the same moment a semblance of hurt flashed on his face. "Same here." He hesitated for a second. "Is he… Is he still alive from where you came from?"

"He already passed away last 2016," Cisco replied quietly.

"Lucky you. You had almost a decade to spend more time with him."

"And I was an idiot to let it all go to waste," Cisco whispered.

Ramon nodded understandingly. He turned to the guards and ordered them to leave. "I'll handle this." He stood straighter as his mean left the room without a word. When he faced them again, his face was composed and serious.

"What, not going to accuse me of hiring a double to attend the live talk show?" Harry decided to pipe up, and Cisco was too close to wanting to jab Harry on his gut, hard.

"I won't put it past you, of course." Ramon smirked. "Frankly, I'd think first that _you_ are the fake one here, but I know Wells. He won't hire some mindless lackey to steal for him. He'll do it himself."

Harry looked positively shaken after being called an idiot and a petty thief. For a brief moment, Cisco paused to admire his other self. He didn't seem to be one to take any Harrison Wells's crap. Cisco wished he has that kind of spine.

"Err, does this happen often, Wells stealing from S.T.A.R. Labs?" Cisco dared to ask. He was curious, alright. On every Earth that he knew of where S.T.A.R. Labs and Harrison Wells coexist, there was only one owner of S.T.A.R. Labs. This Earth, however, was an exception.

"Why would Wells steal from his own company?"

"I thought—"

"This is Ramon Industries," Ramon interrupted. "Obviously, since it has the tech that you couldn't see in that tech garbage dump called S.T.A.R. Labs. Wells covers what he doesn't and could never have that's why he pops in here occasionally." He smirked smugly at Harry's silent fuming. "I suppose you're the owner of S.T.A.R. Labs as well in your Earth." He turned to Cisco. "Are you kicking his ass out of business? We have a knack for it, you know."

Cisco didn't have to look to know that Harry was scowling. "The thing is, there's no Ramon Industries back in my Earth. There is S.T.A.R. Labs and I briefly worked for another Harrison Wells; at least, I thought it was a Harrison Wells. Harry here is from another earth than mine. We labeled my earth as Earth-1, and Harry's as Earth-2. As for this one, I don't know, Earth-23?"

"As much as I am intrigued how early your earth progressed on the discovery of Multiverse, I can't believe that there's an earth out there where I worked for Wells, of all people. How—you're brilliant, I'm sure, because you're me. Why are you not successful and wealthy?"

Cisco wasn't sure whether to be flattered and offended for Harry, for whatever reasons. "Um, maybe because Harrison Wells is different on every other earths just as I am different on every alternative earths?"

"Why are we continuing this nonsense?" Harry snapped. "We're already free, Ramon. Why don't you vibe us out of here and be done with it?"

"You can't do that," Ramon said, crossing his arms.

"And why not?" Harry challenged.

"Because what I have are no ordinary meta dampeners. They negate meta abilities for twenty-four hours."

When Harry's glance returned to Cisco, he was met with a shake of the head.

"Told you," Ramon murmured.

This day was getting better and better.

* * *

"So can you help us?"

"We can," Ramon assured Cisco. "But I'm afraid making this extrapolator will take my team more than a few hours to make even with your help. We're not exactly familiar with these breaches you mentioned, and you two are the first interdimensional visitors of this earth that we know of."

"As long as it won't take a whole day, I'm fine with that. Harry is on a tight schedule. He has to get to Earth-2 tonight."

Ramon stopped, his face odd. "You're doing this for him? How about you, don't you want to return on your own earth?"

"Of course I do," Cisco said. "It's Harry's daughter's birthday, and I'm invited anyway."

"Daughter, huh? You're being awfully generous to your companion."

Cisco shrugged. "Harry has helped my team numerous times. This is just me returning the favor. I mean, he's not exactly the friendly type, but there's a layer there that considers us his friends, so there's that."

"And your friend just left you here alone to go to God knows where."

Not true, Cisco thought. Harry told him earlier that he would go find S.T.A.R. Labs of this Earth, and maybe he could reach out to Harrison Wells for aid. Cisco had insisted that Ramon's help was enough, but Harry must be getting tired from the insults Ramon liked to throw his way, thinking him a substitute for the Harrison Wells that he knew and dislike. Harry pointedly ignored Cisco's advice that they shouldn't wander off within an unknown earth, and Harry artfully mentioned that he didn't have a terrible case of direction unlike some people that he knew.

It occurred to Cisco that this could be the very reason why Ramon wasn't warm towards the Harrison Wells of this place.

"What is he to you?" Ramon asked suddenly with a frown. "Harry, I mean."

"He's a mentor of sorts." Like real mentor who didn't have homicidal tendencies (or maybe Harry has, and Cisco didn't know yet). "He's part of the team too so he's a friend and family."

"Oh." Cisco might have imagined it, but he thought Ramon looked disappointed for a split-second. "I thought… nevermind."

"What about you? If you don't mind me asking, where does this whole animosity towards Harrison Wells came from?"

"He's a business rival. Nobody likes their rivals," Ramon said simply.

In Cisco's opinion though, this was more than just him not liking his competition. Personally, Cisco was thinking that it was beyond dislike. "Yeah, buddy, except you really hate him. It shows."

"I do, don't I?" Ramon smiled wryly. "It's a long story."

Cisco paused his tinkering. "I have time, as you can see. But, hey, it's cool too if you don't want to talk about it. I'll probably just think that you were once employed by him then he did a number on your dignity by throwing markers over your head when there was a formula he couldn't crack and blame you for every inconveniences."

"Is there a universal rule that says all Cisco Ramons got the short ends of Wellses' sticks?" Ramon paused and blinked. "Okay, that sounded terrible."

Cisco winced. "Yeah, make sure not to use that term again. It breeds images in my mind."

They both net each other's eyes before snorting and falling into a fit of giggles.

* * *

Funny enough that Harry wasn't accosted at the very entrance of S.T.A.R. Labs like the welcome he experienced at Ramon Industries earlier.

There was the security at the entrance who asked for his ID but had taken a look at him and immediately mistook him as their boss, albeit a bit confused at first and saying he thought he already came in an hour ago.

Suffice to say, it was easy.

Harry checked the laboratories below for any signs of the other Harrison, and after carefully avoiding to be seen by any he figured that Harrison was at his office which was located at the twelfth floor.

Fortunately, there was no one else at the elevator with him, and Harrison thankfully didn't hire a secretary either (Harry was trying to get used to the office-ish style of S.T.A.R. Labs rather than the common set up of his own S.T.A.R. Labs and Team Flash's headquarters).

When Harry knocked, there was a call of _come in_ from a familiar voice.

Harrison was poring over some papers when Harry came in. "Bertha, how's that proposal of yours coming u—" Harrison stopped short with a small gasp upon glancing to see the person who entered. "Who are you?"

Harry quietly closed the door behind him before regarding fully his shocked doppelganger. "I'm Harrison Wells of another Earth." If this Harrison was just like him, then the best approach was to be direct.

Harrison seemingly caught his own slightly slacked jaw. He blinked multiple times before standing hastily to lock the door and beckoned Harry further in. It was only when the lock clicked in place did he composed himself, hands on his hips as he stared at Harry for some more before nodding decidedly.

"The Multiverse Theory is true then?"

Harry stared back at his doppelganger with his own concealed surprise. That was it? Ramon's doppelganger was more _enthusiastic_ when he received them. "You're not wondering if I might be a meta who can wear your face?" It appeared that the poor security extended this far up. Harry hoped dearly that this Wells wasn't one of those council rejects.

Harrison was briefly thoughtful. "Yes. Yes, there was a meta before with that power, but I'm more inclined to believe that you're from another dimension—my counterpart in another dimension." He gestured vaguely at Harry from head to toe, looking incredulous. "This is fascinating. You're our first recorded interdimensional visitor."

Harry would have thought this Harrison was used to his self from alternate Earths dropping by his office unannounced, if his reception to Harry was anything to go by. Harrison was starting to resemble HR at this rate.

" _Visitors_ ," Harry corrected. "I'm not alone."

"Where is your companion then?"

Harry had to explain a summary of the situation to Harrison who was, fortunately, a good listener. Harrison understood Harry's dilemma, and he knew immediately then what Harry approached him for. Harry was lucky enough to land on a dimension with a decent Wells.

"I left Ramon at Ramon Industries. He's with his doppelganger. I'm sure they're enjoying their free time with me out of their hairs."

"Ah, of course. I forgot about Cis—Ramon's hostility." Harrison actually sounded sheepish. "I'm impressed that he doesn't have you locked up somewhere the minute he saw you and probably mistook you as me or some equally evil twin I have."

Harry snorted. It sounded about right. "Ramon—my companion—was there to pacify the situation and calm down his paranoid counterpart."

Harrison directed Harry to a room behind the wall that resembled his workshop back at Team Flash's headquarters. Harrison told him that he was free to use everything there and that he would be joining Harry shortly, asking Harry if he had already eaten and if there was anything else he needed. Harry told him that he was to not speak of the situation to somebody else who couldn't help them anyway (two Wells were better than a number of scientists, Harry firmly believed). Harrison accepted it without protest, leaving Harry to his own devices.

Harry wasn't used to this kind of hospitality, to be honest.

Technically, he was still a stranger, but Harrison had welcomed him with opened arms without hesitation and only pure wonder. If the situation was reversed, Harry was sure as hell wouldn't be this accommodating. Heck, his reaction perhaps wouldn't be that much different than Ramon.

Harrison was just as organized as Harry that it wasn't difficult for the latter to gather everything he needed. Within five minutes, he already piled the items he needed neatly on the table. Harry could whip up an extrapolator, but he was clueless of this Earth's gravitational pull. He would have to ask Harrison once he returned.

Harrison came back shortly with food—Big Belly Burger. It was nice to know they have it here as well. Small treats to be thankful for.

"I've been thinking on my way. You said that what we'll make can widen a small breach for you and your Ramon to pass through. This earth's gravitational pull is a variable that you'll have to consider, but this Earth never had any encounter with breaches. starting one will be akin to expanding a wormhole."

For somebody who didn't have any experience to use as a study on interdimensional travel, Harrison was quick, Harry found out. "You've never had any breach until we came to this Earth. The breach is where we landed here first, Ramon Industries. We could have easily gone back the same way with the use of my companion's power, except we were exactly within the meta dampeners your Ramon here had installed inside his building. Did I mention that your business rival is a ridiculously paranoid man?"

Harry expected a somewhat smug reply that he knew he would have given in the same situation. What he got though was a small quirk of Harrison's lips and an understanding nod.

"I can't fault him with that. Ramon Industries suffered from multiple break-ins since they're founded. He of all people has the most reasonable cause to implement top-notch security. It's highly effective, it turns out, and that speak volumes on how brilliant Cis—Ramon is by his own right."

Harry frowned slightly at the reply. "He might have led us to believe that you're the main reason he installed that kind of system."

Harrison gave a small laugh. "He may have thought once or twice that I am out to steal his tech."

"Are you?" Harry couldn't help but ask. He might as well get it out of the way. He has no tolerance for idiots who resort to stealing other's ideas, Wells or no.

"No," Harrison answered firmly. "I've been there occasionally but never to steal anything. Never that. Every time, it's always about…" He smiled. "Apologies. I'm rambling. I think we should get started. You're pressed for time, correct?"

Harry watched as his doppelganger pulled a glass board to scribble formulas. For once, his attention wasn't on the equations.

Harrison was hiding something.

* * *

Ramon was just as disorganized as Cisco.

Not that Cisco minded. If anything, he could find things easier that way.

He pulled a drawer to his right open, thinking that Ramon was keeping them on the same place where he usually does in his own Earth. Ramon had given him free reign of his office slash workshop, which was pretty nice, before he left Cisco shortly, claiming he was getting hungry. Frankly, Cisco was feeling the same after he was asked numerous questions by his doppelganger on the perks of being a meta.

You would think Ramon has no love for any meta with how heavily secured Ramon Industries was.

Cisco didn't have to look to find a sheet of aluminum. His hand didn't disappoint, feeling the texture of a thin foil.

When he pulled it out though, there was also a photo that stuck along with it.

Cisco squinted his eyes at the back of the picture facing him, finding a short message there. The photo must be a little old, with its browning corners and the dedication on the back almost fading.

 _Amazing as always. Keep up the good work, Cisco._

 _-H.W._

If his guess was correct, _H.W._ stood for Harrison Wells, and upon turning the photo around, he was proven correct. In it was Ramon who was probably in his college days (Cisco looked exactly this way before) and Harrison Well. It was a stolen shot of them working together in a lab. And, wow, they seemed to have the exact same relationship Cisco has with Harry, except they seemed to be much closer, and this Harrison definitely didn't sport any deep set frown even as he was turned to Ramon. Harrison actually has this fond eyes directed at his doppelganger.

Huh.

"You found it," Ramon said when he came in. He raised an eyebrow at the flustered expression Cisco gave him. "Relax. I know you found it by accident."

"Err, didn't mean to look."

Ramon waved a dismissive hand, setting down a paper bag near Cisco that surely contained food. "I lost it some time ago, and I never looked for it again. You saved me the trouble." He plucked the picture out of Cisco's fingers, and in one fluid motion tore the photo into pieces, dumping them at the trash bin. "There."

"Wha—"

"It's the last remaining evidence I have that I once worked for that man," Ramon said. "I lied. I interned at his lab when I was in college. Every scientific minds that day wants to work with him. Imagine my surprise then that I was one of the three he chose to intern at S.T.A.R. Labs, and I was even the youngest."

At Cisco's silence, Ramon was encouraged to continue, "In that place full of arrogant bastards, Wells was the one who treated me with respect and appreciated my creativity. He never passed my rambling as that of a naïve college kid. He treated me as an equal, in fact."

"What happened?" Cisco was almost afraid to ask. He remembered Eobard Thawne acting exactly how Ramon described the Harrison Wells that he knew.

Ramon smiled wryly. "I fell in love with him."

Cisco was grateful he wasn't drinking then.

"Sorry?"

"I said I fell in love with Wells."

Cisco huffed out an unconvincing laugh. "Okay, buddy. I swear you said you fell in love with a Harrison Wells." Ramon was pulling his leg, right?

Right?

Ramon eyed him warily. "What's so unbelievable with that? You two are obviously together."

Wait. What?

"Me and Harry? No!"

Alright, Cisco wasn't above admitting Harrison Wells was good-looking, but he has never looked at Harry _that_ way. And what was with the _obviously_ that Ramon was insinuating here?

"You and your Wells are not together?"

"Erm, no, man. We're friends… I guess? Heck, it's hard to put labels when it comes to Harry. Have you seen how _friendly_ that man is?"

"Your Wells has quite a character," Ramon agreed.

When the silence prolonged between the two Ramons, Cisco cleared his throat. "So, uh, he rejected you?"

Ramon scoffed. "I wish he did that immediately." He shook his head. "Of course he had to say that he felt the same, and me, the stupid kid, believed it. I dated him in secret because we knew some people would be having a field day about the news of a respectable scientist dating his intern who was two decades younger than him. I never cared because I loved him as himself and his brilliant mind." He exhaled. "When he was finally done with me, he called it off, and that was it. He kicked me out of S.T.A.R. Labs like something that he no longer needed. Quite a spectacle too when he did." Ramon gestured around him. "This—all of this is because of him too when I think about it. Out of wanting to get back at him for all that humiliation, I swore to become his rival on his field. You should have seen his face when he saw me again after all these years."

"Oh." Cisco somehow felt guilty with his outburst earlier. "I'm sorry."

Ramon dismissed his apology. "Look, I know we don't have the same circumstances so I'll understand it if you think me as a bitter and petty man. In some ways, you'll be probably right about those. However, my reasons also come with my regret that Dante wasn't here to see my success. He was the person who put me through school, you know? While he was taking odd jobs to pay for my tuition, I was busy wasting my time with Wells when I should have given it to my own brother."

It wasn't that Cisco wasn't used to dickish Harrison Wellses (he counted Eobard Thawne there), but what Ramon experienced was, well, a little out-of-character for a Wells. Cisco wasn't claiming to be an expert—he only has two Harrison Wells to base from—but he knew that a basic Harrison Wells attitude was to become an extra jerk (if they were already) whenever they were backed in a corner with nothing else to use in retaliation; Harry was his main example when Jesse was kidnapped by Zoom.

"Have you talked to him, to Wells?"

"What for?"

"I don't know. Maybe ask him why he did that?"

"It was plain and simple. I could think of nothing else to make out of his actions. I learned from it, and that's all that matters."

If Cisco didn't happen to hear this story before they could leave, he was sure he could fetch Harry now, thank Ramon for help, and be out of this Earth in time for Jesse's birthday.

But he did, and it seemed like Cisco still has a task to do before he could leave.

Harry would just have to forgive him later.

* * *

"How is it like having a child?" Harrison abruptly asked.

Harrison wasn't exactly the talkative kind that was why Harry wasn't annoyed by the sudden question. "Tiring when she was young, especially if you were raising one alone," Harry admitted without looking up. _But it's worth it. Jesse is all worth it._

"You do not strike me as a person who planned on having a child, if you do not mind me saying." Harrison drove the screw on top of the lid he was working on.

Harry never planned on having any kid until his wife convinced him. In the end, he wouldn't replace Jesse for anything.

"Ah, your wife changed your mind then, which was for the best. Jesse is your heart, isn't she?" Harry's head snapped to Harrison. Harrison smiled knowingly at him. "I'm sorry. It's a bad habit of mine."

"You're a meta?"

"I am."

Harry placed down the screwdriver, thoughtful. "So that's why you immediately knew the moment I came in."

Harrison nodded. "That and your body language. I had a degree in psychology."

He said it without sounding arrogant, Harry would give him that.

"Again, apologies. If it makes you feel better, I can tell you more about myself in return," Harrison said, rather amused. "I've never been married, so I never entertained the idea of having children."

Harry wasn't really in the mood for small talk, but he didn't interrupt him. "But I think it would have been nice, with the right person, that is." Harrison gave a laugh. "No, I'm not having a midlife crisis."

"Will you stop reading my mind?"

"Again, force of habit." Harry grunted at that response, somewhat annoyed. "Cis—Ramon can't stand to be within a few meters with me without him trying to attack me. You and your Cisco have a decent relationship. You're a lucky man."

Harry was pretty sure what he has with Cisco wasn't more than what he has with the others. Although, yes, he could tolerate to be with Cisco longer than any, and he could honestly appreciate Cisco's attempts at humor most of the time. After Team Flash's last experience with a homicidal version of Wells, he was lucky indeed to be trusted by the whole team; by Cisco, no less. Not that Harry would say it aloud.

"I suggest that you should. He would like to know that occasionally, that you actually appreciate him and your friendship with him," Harrison said sagely. "You have as much to lose."

"Why, are talking based from experience?" Harry asked dryly, almost scoffing without looking, winding the copper coil around a small rod. Harrison spoke as if the Cisco Ramon of this earth once worked for him, just like the Cisco worked for the Eobard Thawne.

Harrison didn't seem to take offense. "Yes. He was my intern once."

Harry deigned him a look. "I was under the impression that the Ramon who greeted us has no other connection to you than a business rival." While Harry couldn't speak for all Cisco Ramon, he knew Cisco was the type to hold a semblance of respect for former mentors, be they evil speedsters or not. The Ramon of this earth, however, wasn't the one to give two cents for Harrison Wells. Harry somewhat suspected that CEO Ramon could commit murder as long as it involved Harrison Wells. What exactly did Harrison Wells do to that feisty Ramon?

"I made a monumental mistake," Harrison said as if that explained it all. "Something I regret up until now. I've been trying to talk to him, but he often misunderstands my attempts. Granted, I do look like a _petty thief_ while trying different tactics after asking him for formal meetings failed."

"Your ability can only read minds then? You can't communicate with him telepathically?" Harry deadpanned. Personal issues were never his forte, nor was he here to give advices.

Harrison smiled kindly. "I know you're not, but I appreciate that you're listening nonetheless. I never said it before to anybody, and only a few here in S.T.A.R. Labs could remember their biggest competitor now interned here years ago. To answer your question, yes, I can only read minds, so no, I couldn't communicate with anybody telepathically like Professor X." He didn't wipe the smile off his face. "To tell you the truth, I'm unable to read Cisco's mind since I met him, and he's the only exception, I suppose."

"How is that possible?" Harry could think of a few reasons, and one of them included that CEO Ramon was unknowingly a meta himself that made him immune to abilities like what Harrison has.

"I am unsure, but from what I can gather from your mind, there's a huge difference between the metahumans of you and your companion's earths and this earth: the origin of metahumans here is the biggest mystery we have. Darwin theorized that there was a massive skip in the evolution of man, a skip that he couldn't determine himself. There was no explosion of any particle accelerator here, and it's either you're born with a meta gene or not."

Like a mutant gene then, Cisco was sure to say if he was hearing this, Harry mused. "That proves my point."

"I suppose, but no, I'm sure he isn't one."

"What makes you so sure?" Harry challenged. He was beginning to curse his curiosity. He should be focusing on the extrapolator alone.

"Because the metas here have an uncanny way of knowing everything about their partners. It's, ah, an extra ability of ours, if you will."

Harrison waited for that to sink in to Harry. Harrison could see for himself that Harry was a rational man, calm and collected under most pressuring situation, which also meant that he wasn't much in-tuned with his emotional qualities. Not that Harrison could fault him; he found out that it was Harry's defense mechanism, among others.

But Harry was an intellectual. He knew exactly what Harrison meant by what he said.

"What?"

Or not.

"Cisco was a former partner of mine. Romantically," Harrison made sure to add.

Harry's mind was blank for a moment.

"Isn't that bad for business?" was what escaped Harry, making Harrison chuckle.

"There was no competition yet back then." Harrison shrugged. "If I may make an ambitious guess, Ramon Industries is made to go against me, which I don't really mind. Anger is better than apathy, I believe. And I'm glad that in some way, I motivate him still."

Harry hasn't even heard Ramon's side, yet couldn't decide who was the most hung-up between the two.

And, well, a Harrison Wells and a Cisco Ramon. While that was a sure recipe for disaster (he didn't have to look far; he and Cisco as friends was an example enough), Harry supposed that in some alternate reality it could work.

Or not really because Harrison was here telling him about some short affair he had with a former intern of his.

Harrison gave him a piercing stare which must be the telling sign that Harrison was reading his mind. Great.

"I see. I won't be asking about the Cisco from your own Earth. What about your companion though?"

"What about him?"

"Are you two—"

"Why don't you just read my mind for that?" Harry scowled. "No."

For goodness sake, he was at least two decades older than Cisco. He couldn't speak for Harrison, but Harry wasn't the type to _feel young_ by taking a younger partner.

Harrison laughed at his line of thought, making Harry more irked at his counterpart. "Believe me when I said that I'm not after _feeling young._ " He calmed down before speaking again, but the amusement remained. "It's the intellect. His mind is his most attractive part. When it's the mind that you love, you find that it's easy to dismiss the age gap. You know what they say: it's just a number, and I believe in that as well. I'm not only talking about the age difference between two people. You meet individuals who think either older or younger for their age, and that's where you decide the maturity of a person."

So Harrison was a sapiosexual, and Harry could honestly see himself like that.

Being with Cisco was an entirely different matter. Sure, he could tolerate him longer like Jesse compared to the others. Contrary to popular belief, he admired Cisco's knack for sprouting pop culture references at any given situation the team was in. Harry appreciated the thoughtfulness of Cisco, how the younger man often offered to get him food or coffee on the way. Harry acknowledged Cisco's creativity, and frankly, he never saw him as a junior or mentee. Cisco, in Harry's book, was merely inexperienced. Because while Cisco was learning a lot from Harry, Harry was in the same position too. They were equals, what Harry sometimes liked to think. What set Cisco apart from Harry, though, was how he could balance his heart and mind. Something Harry was having difficulty, admittedly.

Harrison blinked, smiling again, softer this time around. "Ah. I may have jumped into conclusions too early. But it is something worth considering later, isn't it?"

It was Harrison's back that received the full blown dark glare Harry sent his way.

* * *

There was a palpable tension hanging in the air between the four people.

"So… We're finished?" Cisco began.

Putting his and Harry's doppelgangers together in one room suddenly seemed like a very bad idea.

"We're done here," Harry added, eyes going back and forth between Harrison and Ramon. Cisco glanced at Harry warily.

Harry and Cisco were witnesses of how Ramon's anger was being kept at bay. Surprisingly enough, the lid hasn't blown yet.

"You shouldn't, you know?" Cisco murmured to Harry. "If you know their history—"

"I do, which is why I think they have to see each other." Cisco didn't have to know that Harry brought Harrison for the heck of it and a comeback for those uncalled mind-readings. "They're due for a talk."

Cisco thought so too, actually. "Do we leave them to it?"

"Why, you want to intermediate?"

Cisco shrugged. "Honestly, I don't think they'll make progress without some meddling. I mean, do you think that if we're the one in their shoes, do you see any of us taking initiative?"

Fair point.

Harry cleared his throat to get the other two's attention. Once he was successful doing so, Harry wasted no breath to say, "Harrison is a meta."

"What?" Two Cisco Ramons exclaimed at the same time.

"Thought you should know," Harry said unrepentantly.

"So? That just proves that I've taken the right precautions." Ramon crossed his arms haughtily.

"I can read minds," Harrison supplied, not once removing his gaze from Ramon. "But I can never read yours."

"That's…" Ramon was somewhat taken aback before blinking his surprise, his tone remaining careful. "…that's good."

"It is," Harrison agreed. "I... I hate it. I hate this ability."

"Figures. You can't read the mind of your business rival, after all. That sucks."

Harrison shook his head. "No, not because of that. Having this ability meant attracting fellow metas who would deem your mind-reading capability useful." He wetted his lips. "Evil metas who were desperate to have you on your side that they were willing to resort to nefarious ways such as threatening you. And if that wouldn't work, threaten the lives of those around you, particularly somebody you held dearly."

Ramon didn't speak even as Harrison's eyes fell. "I'm sorry for before. For everything. I could say that I did it to protect you, but I was still in the wrong. I had beaten them, yes, but they could have been handled just as well if I asked for help from others like me."

"You were an idiot," Ramon practically spat after the tense silence passed by him. "You _are_ an idiot."

Harrison, unsurprisingly by now, smiled. "I am. I'm stupid when it comes to you." He took two steps closer with the easiness of a man whose shoulders have been lifted of their weight. "And I'm a fool who still loves you after all these years."

"And I'm an even bigger fool to still feel the same after all that happened," Ramon said when he finally released a breath. When he took his eyes from Harrison, he glanced warily at Cisco and Harry. "Alright, this is even more embarrassing with you two here. No offense."

"None taken."

"Or we should just be on our way now so you two can go—" Harry gestured vaguely with his hand. "—make googly eyes with each other."

"Bold of you to assume that's just what we're going to do," Harrison muttered with a smirk.

Harry faltered the same moment Cisco paled. "I— _We_ don't need to know that."

"I mean to say that we're still going to talk. Properly, like two civilized people," Harrison amended, though Harry wasn't fooled by the knowing twinkle in his doppelganger's eyes behind the glasses. "But thanks for that idea. It's appreciated."

"Ooookay, that's our cue to go," Cisco announced.

He flicked the extrapolator to an empty spot. When the breach promptly opened, Cisco was all too glad to leave immediately (exactly how Harry was earlier), giving Ramon and Harrison curt goodbyes and practically dragging Harry with him.

* * *

"That wasn't going to make this awkward, is it?" Cisco asked tentatively once they were comfortably settled in Earth-2 and had attended Jesse's birthday celebration in the nick of time. "I mean, you and me."

"Do you want it to be?" Harry asked lightly.

"No."

"I don't either."

"Good. That's good to know."

If that fateful encounter with their doppelgangers happened to have a certain influence on the evolved relationship they found themselves sharing half a year later…

Well, nobody's the wiser.

* * *

 **THE END**


End file.
